Valve-adjustment device



Aug. 5 1924.

. A. J. AMOS ET AL VALVE ADJUSTMENT DEVICE Filed Sent. 1. 1921 w v m w Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR J. AMOS AND WILLIAM F. VILLIERS, OF CASTLEHAINE, VICTORIA, AUS- TRALIA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES EDMOND COBDING, OF BENDIGO,

VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

VALVE-ADJUSTMENT DEVICE.

Application filed September To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR JOHN Amos and WILLIAM FREDERICK VILLIERS, subjects of the King of Great Britain,

residing at Castlemaine, in the Stateof Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Valve-Adjustment Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to valve adjustment devices, and it refers more particularly to means for effecting adjustments to tappets whereby the lift or stroke of the inlet and outlet valves of internal combustion and other engines can be regulated to a fine degree of accuracy.

he primary object of the invention is to provide means whereby a micromet'ric adjustment between a valve-stem and a valve tap et or push-rod or rocker-arm can be rea ily and conveniently effected.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the stroke of a lurality of valves can be adjusted uniormly without. necessitating the use of a gauge for this purpose.

A salient feature of the invention resides in roviding a valve tappet or push rod, or roc er'-arm with a threaded element which is adjustable relative? thereto by means of a clicking device. his clicking device is of such a nature and construction that predetermined manual movement thereof rotates the threaded element to adjust its position relatively to said tappet, rod or arm a predetermined degree, whilst causing an audible and easily discernible indication to be given to the mechanic that such adjustment has been effected. -Means are provided for the purpose of locking the threaded element in a set adjusted position.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two constructions which are representative of the invention, and as applied to an intermediately pivoted rocker-arm, and to a valve lifting rod of internal combustion engines.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in section of a rocker-arm fitted with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan, partly in section of Figure 1.

1, 1921. Serial No. 497,788.

Figure 3 is a plan of a finger-wheel of the clicking device. a

Figur 4 is a detail view of a spring actuated clicking pin.

Figure 5 is a sectional view, illustrating a valve lifting or tappet rod fitted with the invention. a

Figure 6 is a sectional view. on an enlarged scale, illustrating the upper portion of the tappet rod and the adjustment means.

Figure 7 is a sectional plan on line 6-6 Figure 6. a

igure 8 is a plan of the finger-wheel of the clicking device seen in Figures 5 and 6.

Reference being had to Figures 1 to 4, the numeral 2 indicates a rocker-arm which may be of any general or appropriate design having a pivot pin hole 3 and characterized by having abifurcated end4 forming a jaw within which is disposed a fingeroperated wheel 5 having a multiplicity of pointed or V-sectioned teeth 6 formed peripherally thereon.

Formed centrally in the finger-wheel 5 is a. hole 7 into which projects a feather or key3 8.

ngaging the toothed periphery of the finger-wheel is the .point 9 of a clicking pin 10 which is actuated by a compression spring 11, said pin and spring being accommodated within a'chamber 12 formed in the rocker-bar Tapped holes are formed in the checks of the jaw 4 in the end of the rocker-arm, and passing therethrough is an adjusting screw 13 having a keyway 14 into which the key 8 of the finger-wheel 5 projects. lock-nut 15 is threaded upon the adjusting screw 13 above the upper check of jaw 4. Ahardened steel head 16 is formed on an end of the adjusting screw 13 to function as a tappet for intermittent engagement with the end of a valve-stem, or alternatively with a valve-operating rod.

It will be obvious that with this invention rota movement imparted to wheel 5 by the ngers will effect rotary movement of the screw 13 with its attached head 16, and

that the spring-actuated pin 10 in its engagement with success ve peripheral teeth 6 causes an audible and readily discernible click. Each clicking sound indicates that the l the screw 13 has been threaded a predetermined distance, such for example as a. one-thousandth part of an inch, through the finger-wheel 5 and the jaw 4saccommodating the latter.

With the lock-nut 15 slackened back and the screw 13 in engagement or in contact with the end of a. valve-stem or \valve operating rod, it will be apparent that by turning the finger-wheel 5 one or more degrees, each being indicated by an audible readily and positively adjusted uniformly to a fine degree of accuracy and without requiring the use of a gauge to determine the adjustments which have been made or are to be made to secure uniformity.

Figures 5 to 8 illustrate the application of the invention to a valve-lifter or plunger or tappet 17 of an internal combustion engine. The adjusting screw 13 is threaded into a tapped hol 18 formed in the upper end of the valve-lifter or plunger 17, while the finger-wheel 5 is fitted in a slot or recess 19 provided in said-.valve-lifter.

Recesses 20 are made in said valve-lifter on opposite sides of the finger-wheel 5 as illustrated particularly in Figure 7, to facilitate the rotation of said finger-wheel by the use of a finger and thumb to effect required adjustments of the screw 13. The fingerwheel 5 in thisconstruction has a knurled or milled ed e 21 for convenience of manipulation, whi e it is constructed having its upper surface furnished with a multiplicity of radial V-shaped teeth 22 of uniform pitch.

The clicking pin 10 and its actuating compression spring 11 are vertically arranged, being disposed within a hole 23 drilled in sai valve-lifter 17. A screw 24'is fitted in the up r'and tapped end of said hole 23, and it orms a bearing surface for the upper end of the compression spring 11,'the opposite or lower end of which bears upon said clicking pin 10 to maintain the same in positive resilient engagement with the surface teeth 22 of the finger-wheel 5.

The lock-nut 15 is fitted to the adjusting screw 13 below the hardened steel head 16, and 1t is adapted to be tightened against the upper-surface of said valve-lifter for the purpose of locking said screw 13 in a set ad usted position. I By slackening the lock nut 15 and rotatmg the finger=wheel 5' clock-wise, the adusting screw 13 is threaded into the tapped hole 18 of the alve-lifter or plun r 17, whilst rotation of said wheel in anti-clock wise fashion threads said screw upwardly from said hole, but in each case the spring actuated pin 10 clicks in engaging with successive teeth 22, thereby providing an audible indication of the extent of the adjustment which has been effected in a manner similar to that which has been previously described with reference tothe construction illustrated by Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings.

As the features of this invention are capable of application for the adjustment of valves of engines which vary in type, construction and design, it is to be understood that modifications in construction and in design and in arrangement of the invention may be made to meet such variations of applications, as necessary within the scope of the appended claiming clauses.

What we do claim is:

1. A valve tappet mounted for adjustment through a threading movement, a member held against longitudinal movement and coupled for sliding cooperation with the tappet, and means cooperating with said member to produce audible notification of the movement of the member in either direction in that operation of the member tending to turn the tappet.

2. A valve operating member adjustable through a threading movement, an element held against longitudinal movement and having sliding connection with the tappet, said member being mounted for free rotary movement to correspondingly turn the tappet and bein formed with a plurality of teeth, and a c icking device to be engaged by said teeth in the turning movement of the element to audibly indicate that operation of the element tending to turn the tappet.

3. A valve operating member mounted for adjustment through a threading movement,

said member being formed with a longitudinal slot, an operating element held against sliding movement and having a projection to seat in the slot in the tappet, said element being formed with teeth and mounted for rotary movement, and a spring pressed pin adapted to engage said teeth to audibly indicate any rotary movement of the element.

4. A valve operating member having a jaw, tapped holes in the cheeks of said jaw, a wheel accommodated by said jaw, a hole in said wheel, teeth formed on said wheel, a feather in said wheel, an adjusting screw threaded through said cheeks and passing through said *wheel, a keyway in said adjusting screw engaged by said feather, a spring actuated clicking device fitted to said valve operating member and in engagement with said teeth, and a lock-nut 'on said adjusting screw.

5. In valve ad'ustment devices, the provision of an ad ustment screw, a ratchet wheel in engagement with said screw and rotatable therewith, a spring actuated pawl engaging said ratchet wheel, and means for locking said screw in an adjusted position.

6. A valve operating member having a tapped hole therein, an adjusting screw threaded into said hole, a slot in said valveoperating member, a wheel accommodated by said slot encircling said screw and rotatable therewith, teeth on one surface of said wheel, a spring actuated clicking pintmeshing with said teeth and locking means on said screw.

7. A valve operating member having a tapped hole therein, an adjusting screw threaded into said hole, a tappet head on said screw, a slot in said valve operating 15 member, a wheel accommodated by said slot and encircling said screw, a keyway in said screw, a feather in said wheel engaging said keyway, teeth on one surface of said wheel, a spring actuated pin in clicking engagement 20 with said teeth, and a lock-nut on said screw.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses. ARTHUR J. AMOS. WILLIAM F. VILLIERS. Witnesses:

W. H. HANCOCK, J. LAvnRcoMsEi 

